Eddard Stark alive? (spoilers)

[Sila19]

There is a remote possibility that Eddard Stark remains alive. Varys could have architected a way to smuggle Ned out of the prison, as Varys himself is known as master of disguise. However Varys motivations and plans on the series are an enigma, but if he siding with House Targaryen, he could have sent Ned to serve Daenerys as Illyrio and Varys have been meeting during AGoT in a way to help Daenerys to successfully claim the throne, but so far he has not appeared and if he has survived his whereabouts remains unknown.

To further enhance this theory in the execution scenario three POV characters were present, but only one (Arya Stark) could see him closely as both Cersei and Sansa were standing away. His appearance even emaciated and pained would make it difficult to recognize him. In Arya's POV chapter she barely recognizes her father and later on when Joffrey forces Sansa to look at the decapitated head of her own father preserved in tar she says that it looks nothing like her father's head.

In ACoK when Catelyn receives the bones of Eddard Stark she says that they are too small for a man like him.

There are however many flaws to this theory and if Eddard live this would leave a plot hole.

http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php...Stark/Theories

What do you think about thay?

[HannibalExMachina]

im sure ned is coldhands.

[Mhaedros]

im sure ned is coldhands.

That's Benjen man

I've had this theory as well, but it's just not that likely. One might hope though

[EireEmerald]

That's Benjen man

I've had this theory as well, but it's just not that likely. One might hope though

I am almost certain Benjen is not Coldhands.

[Sila19]

Coldhands died long time ago

[HannibalExMachina]

Coldhands died long time ago

so did ned, didnt he die in 1996 or something

[The Forgotten]

I have heard that Coldhands is the Night King. Makes sense enough for me anyways.


As for Ned, I am almost 100% sure he is dead. Also as far as I know I never remember the Starks getting his bones back. I thought they had been lost somewhere along the way.

[Mikail Mengsk]

If Ned is alive, i quit reading. I'm done with all those fake deaths.

Anyway it's impossible: his skeleton had been re-sent North (but where is it now?), his head had been exposed for (days? weeks? months?) on a spike, Joffrey/Cersei would have recognized a lookalike, real Eddard would have reappeared somewhere, expecially after his sons' "deaths", etc.

[ccllnply]

This is actually a theory?

No, there is no way at all that Ned is still alive and even if there was some way he could be, it would be terrible writing by Martin. That page is ridiculous and should be removed. It's full of errors and assumptions and seems to just be some fans dream. For one it claims Arya had a good view of Eddard at his execution and that Cersei and Sansa didn't because they were further away. Which is just stupid because Arya was standing on Baelor's statue in the courtyard while Sansa and Cersei, AND Joffery as well as others, were on the steps with Eddard.

The only way Eddard could be "disguised" at his execution is if he did like Mance Rayder and had a red priest change his appearance. As far as I know though, Eddard didn't even know what R'hllor was and Varys is not involved with the religion in any way

Admitting at the end of the article that the theory has a lot of plot holes doesn't excuse coming up with random crap and just putting it up as a serious theory. If we're going to do that, I'm going to claim that the real Davos was actually captured by one of the onions that he was trying to smuggle into Storm's End which had the ability to warg. The onion then warged in Davos and is now using his body to take over the world in the name of onions, hence the banner

[Engie]

I'm sure Eddard Stark is pretty much dead He was publicly beheaded for all the people of King's Landing to see, if a look-a-like was used in his stead someone would have noticed. You have to remember, Ned Stark wasn't some minor Lord, he was the Hand of the King and Warden of the North as well as a hero of Robert's Rebellion so he wasn't a nobody who wouldn't have been recognised.

[Mount Suribachi]

No. Just no

Anyway it's impossible: his skeleton had been re-sent North (but where is it now?),

Somewhere in The Neck. ADWD Spoiler -

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Lady Dustin is waiting for them to get to Moat Cailin so she can intercept them. She still blames Ned for her husbands death at the Tower of Joy, and is determined for them to never reach Winterfell. Assuming the Silent Sisters taking them north weren't raped and murdered (which is quite likely), there's a fair chance Howland Reed and the crannogmen are keeping them safe for now

I have heard that Coldhands is the Night King. Makes sense enough for me anyways.

Makes no sense to me - man who fell in love and in league with an Other and had to be forcibly removed is now actively fighting against the Others? We have limited info, but basically he was a man of the NW, he died "a long time ago" and he calls the 3EC a "friend". I don't know much of the BR backstory, is there a character in the D+E storys who it could be?

[gordanlord]

Ned is dead, damn GRRM to the seven hells.

Coldhands is the nightking (still holding out that Benjen is alive, he wouldn't give up that chance to kill another Stark)

[The Forgotten]

The Children said he died long ago, which for them would have to be REALLY long ago as they are all a few centuries old. So that would en any Ned or Benjen possibilities. The Night King could have been made to serve a penance for what he had done and his wife did pretty much take away all he had. It might not be right but it makes more sense than any said before.

[Mhaedros]

GRRM's books already have the Moskov syndrome, bringing in the Nightking as a new character wouldn't be fair to the existing characters

[stefan1921]

its like 2% chance that Eddard is alive. Coldhands is Benjen.

The night king? nope that was just some tale, not an actual person.

[Karazor]

yep i don't remember anyone getting the chance of seeing Ned's bones except for the silent sisters , and i think the bones are in Lord Reed's possesion since he was a good friend of Edard and may have intercepted them

But dude Ned being alive would be bad , plus don't you think he would have intervened in the war would he really stand by while a war between he's family and the lannisters was taking place

[beckyolt]

Just no. This theory needs to die.

As I said it countless times before when people bring this theory up.Varys freaked out when Joffrey shouted for Ned's execution. If he freaked out, he wasn't expecting that. If he wasn't expecting that, why would he send a disguised man in his place?

Not to mention, it's been years after his execution, he would've appeared by now. And Ned wouldn't agree to leave his family behind.

[jomas]

I think Eddard was secretly a caterpillar, and he transformed into the Hodor cocoon, but by the last book Mothard Stark, where the Stark Moths will have to fight against Dany's dragons.

[Iforgot]

make about the same amount of sense

[Trot]

Neds alive and robb is vurently eating lunch with the freys in the twins right guys.